Top Left to right: Exterior Hotel Marriott-South Beach, Anne Burrell , the Face of the South Beach Food & Wine Festival, Miguel Balbi-Cook Shop, Inc. – Annamarie Murillo (Teen Latina Intl United States), Lorena Arbelaez (Ms. Latina Intl Florida/Owner Micro Link Hair Systems), Esther Dollar (Miss Portada), Charlyn Castro Rojas (Ms. Latina Intl/Owner – Designs by Castro Rojas), Dominique Martin (Model), Hayley St. Pierre (Ms. Intl World Super Model) – Esther Dollar (Miss Portada), Dominique Martin (Model), Lorena Arbelaez (Ms. Latina Intl Florida/Owner Micro Link Hair Systems), Hayley St. Pierre (Ms. Intl World Super Model) , Roberto Trevino- Top Chef, BudaTai, Eric Greenspan, The Foundry on Melrose, Shlomo Geva The Vini Wine, Author /Photag Elger Argundi, Angela Posillico, CEO for Ms. Latina International and Ms. International World, Willie Panama, U.S. Marine Vet and Latin Sensation, Steady 70-Steve Levine, Howard Helphant-The Mexican/Boca Raton, Albert Posillico, Owner -Ms. Latina Intl, world Pageants.
Photos by Andrew Kutno
Miami Beach, FL – 2/24,’13 Raising the bar on singular events, the Marriott South Beach hosted El Ñosh | SoBe • Launch Party coinciding with the opening night of the 12th Annual South Beach Food and Wine Festival. The landmark four night event unfolded Thursday, February 21 on the windswept wooden Ocean Terrace with 400 blue chip guests in attendance. El Ñosh | SoBe recalled a time when Sinatra and Sammy haunted the original Art Deco gem that is now the reincarnated Marriott, a luxurious, beach front property on the serene side of 5th Street gateway.
T.V. personality and lauded Los Angeles restaurateur Eric Greenspan and Celeb Chef, Roberto Trevino, a San Francisco native and viejo San Juan transplant mashed it up with an imaginative fusion of traditional Jewish and Latin dishes. Sourcing ingredients who’s origins share a common Mediterranean root (that later diverged after the Inquisition) the menu evoked sighs of bliss with Arroz con Pollo Knishes, Yucca Latkes with crème agria and home-style mango jam or Pastrami & Dill Pickle Croquetas with a smear of savory, old-world horseradish mustard.
The premiere libations flowed freely with mixologists from Don Q, Miami Club Rum, Kim Crawford select wines, Corona Light with snappy lime, Zigum Mezcal, l’Chaim Kosher Vodka and The Vini, exceptional wine by the glass. Mixologists created novel twists on signature cocktails including celery sodas, aphrodisiac mojitos, and egg creams with an infusion of coconut and aged Don Q premiere Puerto Rican Rum.
Anne Burrell, the Face of the South Beach Food and Wine Festival, Chef Todd Webster, Elin Trousdale of Le Bistro and survivor of Gordon Ramsey’s ‘Kitchen Nightmares’ joined Executive Chef and cutlery wizard Michael C. Giletto to pay homage to Greenspan and Trevino. El Ñosh | SoBe • Launch Party was on the national news radar with Al Roker’s NBC’s The Today Show on-air mention and VIPictures photographer Andrew Kutno’s personal invitation to Diane Sawyer.
Latin singing sensations Carlos Faroy and Willie Panama, direct from a international tour of ‘Miami Rocks the Troops’, Copacabana’s Elizabeth S. Kobel, impresario’s Gerry Kelly, Rhythm Foundation’s James Quinlan, Denise Righetti at BocaFoodFinds and Steve Levine of Steady 70/ Global Getty Photographer were onboard.
Decked out diners dined al fresco on the vast elevated deck, a bridal’s setting bordering a horizon of sea and stars. VIP guests and cosmo foodies also included Steve Rossi, Esq. representing the epicurean society founded in the Middle Ages, La Confrere, La Chaine des Rotisseurs.
Heads turned with the arrival of Daniel Hartwell, Bostonian Loco Bazooka concert producer, author and coach who melds music with wellness, while “aligning the soul with rhythm and good living” and laser genius Mobius8 fresh off a tour with C-Low Green. And the night rocked on.
As Chef Trevino purrs away in Puerto Rico with the opening of his 5th Kitchen, (BudaTai, Bar Gitano and Casa Lola will be a hard act to follow) and at the helm of Cook Shop, Inc. with Miguel Balbi and Eric Greenspan’s ever growing list of kudo’s including Conde Nast Traveler and Gourmet Magazine while continuing at the helm of 5 distinct Los Angeles eateries a.k.a. ‘celeb destinations’ (that includes the Foundry on Melrose a James Beard nominated as one of the ‘Best New Restaurant’s in America’) is it any wonder future El Ñosh gatherings are being planned to coincide with the Aspen, Los Angeles and New York Food & Wine Festivals? For updates visit artbasil.test/news
